George a



.m e h s w t e e h s n N O S N E H D... E T S/ Am G. n. d o M 0 ELEVATBDRAILWAY STRUCTURE.

Patented' Peb. 16,1892.

O `W www.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.4 G. A. STEPHENSON. ELEVATED RAILWAYSTRUCTURE.

Patented Feb.. 16,1892.

' UNITED STATES PATENT (MaricaV GEORGE A. STEP-IIENSON, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN F. BUTLER, OF SAME PLACE.

ELEVATED-RAILWAY STRUCTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,841, dated February16, 1892.

Application led July 23, 1891. Serial No. 400,393. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. STEPHEN- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and Stateof California, have invented a new and useful Cable-Truss andDouble-Traction Rail and Support for Elevated Railways, of which thefollowing is a speciiication.

My invention primarily consists of an improved track for elevatedrailways; but it also comprises certain features which are applicable togeneral use in structures which require combined strength and lightness.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a rail suitable for usein an improved railway system invented by me employing pendent cars,which system is more fully described in my application, Serial No.400,39i2 for Letters Patent filed in the United States Patent Oflice atthe date of filing this application, and in which the traction-wheelsare arranged in a vertical plane. In order to provide a rail suitablefor this purpose, it becomes desirable to construct a light, rigid, andstrong truss, and such truss is herein described and claimed as a partof my invention.

The object of this part of my invention is to produce a truss whichshall possess the greatest possible rigidity and strength with the leastpossible weight of material.

A further object of such invention is to produce a truss in whichlateral vibration is absolutely prevented, and one which may be quicklyand conveniently tightened if the truss should from any cause becomeslack.

My improved track for elevated railways is provided with two bearing ortraction surfaces arranged in a vertical plane; and it consists,essentially, of a cabletruss double-traction rail comprising twoparallel tubes secured to each other in a vertical plane by intermediatemeans, as shown in the accompanying drawings, which illustrate myinvention as applied in several forms.

Figurel isa perspective view of my invention as applied to anelevatedsrailroad double track and support, the nearest track-trussbeing removed to disclose the other parts. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of`the track on line 00 Fig. l, looking toward the'right. Fig. 3 is across-section of the track on line y y, Fig. l, looking toward the left.Fig. 4 illustrates the improved joint which is to be used in connnecting the members of a long girderI or elevatedptrack. Fig. 5 is aplan view of the track shown in Fig. l. Fig. 6 is an elevation of asingle-track support orpillar embodying my invention. Fig. 7 is afragmentary side view of a pillar or support embodyingI my invention andshowing the cables passing around on the outside of the side members AA', which in this view are lettered Am and A, thus dispensing with theside-retaining pins, which are shown in Fig. 1, and are respectivelynumbered from l to 27. Fig. 8 is an edge View of Fig. 7.

In practice I propose to make the parallel side members and theinterposed brace-blocks of steel tubing.

My invention, broadly stated, consists of the combination of two edge orside members a series of brace-blocks interposed between such edgemembers, and one or more tensioncables attached alternately at a seriesof points along such side members to the opposite sides thereof andarranged to cross diagonally from side to side between such members, andsuitable means for drawing such cable or cables taut, therebycompressing the parts and securing a tension-brace of superior strength.It also comprises other features hereinafter fully set forth.

In the draWings,A,A,A,A,A,A, and A6 indicate the side or edge members ofthe truss. These are preferably tubular, as shown, in order to combinestrength and lightness. l

B B represent the brace-blocks interposed between the side members.

a. and a indicate the two tension-cables, forming part of thetrack-truss. These cables are arranged in the same way as cables E G,used for the supports or pillars.

' For convenience,l will first describe the construct-ion of thetrack-truss shown in Figs. l and 5. In Fig. l this section of the trackis shown complete in itself; but it is to be understood that in practicethe cable Will be extended to a greater distance than that indicated inFig. l.

'll1etrack-truss consists of roo the combination ot the two-edgemembers,

,the interposed brace-blocks, the series ot attachment-pins projectingfrom the sides of the edge members, the tension-cables passed about suchpins alternately and crossed diag onally between the edge members andbraceblocks, and suitable means-such as the tu rnbuckles b and CZshowii-for drawing the cables taut. As shown iu Fig. 1, the end ofcable@ is secured on the inner side of the track or truss to the pin 1,which is one ot the series ot cable-securing pins which pass through andp rogect from the sides of the tubular edge or side membersA and A', andare numbered in the drawings from 1 to 27. The cable extends thencediagonal to the axis of the member A upward over the pin 2, whichextends through the member A, thence it passes diagonall-y downward tothe opposite or outer side of the member A and under the outerprojection ot pin .3, thence diagonally upward and across to the innerside of member A to and over pin 4, thence diagonally' downward acrossto the outenside ot' the truss or girder to and under the pin 5, thenceupward on the same side ot` the girder to and over the outer end of pinl5, thence diagonally downward across to the inner side of member Avtoand under pin 7, thence diagonally upward to the outer side of themember A and over pin 8, thence downward to the inner side of A andunder the pin 9, thence up toward the pin 10 and attached to aturn-buckle l), which is secured to the pin 10 on the inner side. Thecable a is attached to the pin 10 on the outer side of the member A andpasses in the same manner as the cable a diagonally in and out from thepin 9 to 8, from 8 to 7, and so on to the turn-buckle d, which isattached to the pin 1. The cables are tightened by turningtheuturnbuckles. The cables, by reason of their alternately crossingdiagonally from side to side and from member to member of the truss,strengthen the truss and brace the several partsagainst each other, andthus secure the truss from lateral and Vertical motion. The track thusformed of the tubular members A A presents a smooth rail uponv both itstop and bottom, thus permitting the use of a double -traction motorarranged to grip the track between its driving-wheels. The braceblocks Bare preferably formed of tubular sections of the same diameter as themembers A A', with each end fitted to seat the said members, as shown inthe drawings. The twomembers A A of the track are illustrated in Figs.1, 2, 3, and 5 as being also held together by turn-buckles C, arrangedbetween the interposed blocks to bind the edge members firmly thereupon.The heads of the bolts c of the turn-buckles conform to the outercontour of the members A A, so as to provide a smooth track.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown the cables passing around the outside ofthe members A A and crossing in themid-width of member A, thence to pin13 on the inner side of member A, thence to pin 14 on the outer side fmember A", thence to .pin 15 on the inner side of the member A, thenceto pin 16 on the outer side of A, thence to pin 17 on the outer side otA6, thence to pin 18 on the inner side of A, thence to pin 19 on theouter side of A6, thence to pin 2O on the inner side of A", thence topin 21 on the outer side of A6, thence to pin 22 on the outer side of A,thence to pin 23 on the iniierside of AG, thence to pin 24 on the outerside of A, thence to pin 25 on the inner side of A", thence to pin 26 onthe outer side of A", thence to pin 27 on the inner side of A", andthence to theA turn-buckle E, which is secured to the base F. The cableG is secured at one end to the turn-buckle G', which is attached to thebase F, and such cable passes to and over the pin 11 on the outer sideot the memberA, and thenpasses from outside to inside to the Variouspins in the same manner as the cable E, so that when the cable E passesover the end of a pin on the inner side of any ofthe members the cable Gpasses over the end of the same pin on the outer side of the samemember, and vice versa, and the other end ot the cable G is attached tothe turn-buckle G, Iwhich is secured to the base F. In constructing thesupports I bind IOO the members to each other by the bolts II,

which pass through the two edge members and through the tubularbrace-blocks B, and are secured by rivetingorothersuitable means, suchas the nuts h. The strain of the cables holds the two members iirmlyagainst the ends ot the brace-blocks when the cables are crossed in thecenter of the girder between each set of brace-blocks, and' the entirestructure is braced against lateral strain and an increase of its loadincreases its rigidity until the breaking point is reached.

In Fig. 6 the trussing is the same as that employed on the track in Fig.1, and does not require further description. This is designed to show apost for supporting a single track for an elevated road.

ln Figs. 7 and 8 the cables pass around the outer face of the edgememberA A and then cross between the two members from side to side inthe same manner as that shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6. I prefer to use thisform of trussing on the track pillars or supports for IIO the reasonthat by this construction the strain' is applied directly to the edgemembers and does not come upon the pins which hold the cables in place,as shown in Fig. l; but this form cannot be employed inthe track.

In all the illustrations I have shown my in vention as employed in theconstruction of elevated railroads; but I do not limit my invention tothat particular purpose, as it may be employed to advantage inbridge-buildin g or any place where trussing is desired.

The mode of fastening the track to the su pport is illustrated in Fig.6.

A bearing-block I is fitted to and between the ends of the members A Aof the support or pillar truss and secured by a bolt z, which passesthrough both members and also through the block I, thus securing theblockI to the members. The center of the block is cut out to form theopening J, and the outer corners of the block and the ends of themembers A A are formed to receive the members A A of the track, and theclamp-plate j tits against the outerside of the track members A A', andthe bolts K K, which screw through the outer barP of thebearing# blockI, are tightened to bind the clamp-plate and bearing-block iirmlytogether against the track members. Such bolts are secured by check-nuts7u it.

To secure the foot of the pillar or support to the base F, which isdesigned to be made of concrete, I employ solid independent L- shapedauxiliary supporting-feet L, which are respectivelyprovided with a tenonl, arranged to tit into the bottoms ofthe tubular-edge members of thepillar. The tenons are secured therein by means of bolts M, whichrespectively pass through the member and the tenons of the feet. Thefoot below the tenon is made of the same size as the tubular meniber towhich it is attached, and the bottom of each member rests upon thesupportingshoulder m of its respective foot. By varying the length ofthe auxiliary foot from the shoulder' m to the base of such foot the supports may all be manufactured of one length and the bases upon whichthey are to rest may be built along the line of the road with verylittle regard to the grade, as the grade may be adjusted by using afootof suitable length to give the proper height to the support,thus greatlyreducing the expense of building the road. The feet L are secured to thebase F by bolts t.

In Fig. at is shown my improved splice for the tubular track, whichconsists of a transversely-perforated cylindrical metal plug' N of thesame diameter as the bore ofthe tubular member A. The end of twosections of the tube A are brought together and the metal plug ormandrel N is inserted thereinto, so as to extend a distance along theinterior of each tube. It is secured to the two sections by the bolts Opassing through the sections of the tubular member and the plug, thusproducing a simple and strong joint with no projection to obstruct thetrack.

I consider the manner of trussing I have shown to be preferable; but Ido not limit my invention to the form I have illustrated.

I do not limit my claim to the use of the turn-buckles shown forfastening and tightenalong such edge members at the opposite sidesthereof and arranged to cross diagonally from side to side between suchmembers, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the two edge members, a series of brace-blocksinterposed between such edge members, one or more ten` sion-cablesattached alternately at a series of points along such edge members atthel opposite sides thereof and arranged to cross diagonally from sideto side between such members, and means for drawing the cables taut.

4. The combination of the edge members, the interposed brace-blocks, theseries of attachment-pins projecting from the sides of the edge members,the tension-cables passed about such pins alternately and crosseddiagonally between the edge members and brace-blocks, and suitable meansfor drawing the cables taut.

5. The truss comprising the combination of the edge members, theinterposed braceblocks, one or more tension-cables attached alternatelyat a series of points along such edge members at the opposite sidesthereof and arranged to cross diagonally from side to side between suchmembers, means for drawing the cables taut, and the turn-buckles C,arranged to bind the edge members firmly upon the interposed blocks.

6. The combination of the edge members of the track-truss, the edgemembers of the pillar-truss, having their ends fitted to the edgemembers of the track-truss, the bearing-block I, fitted to and betweenthe ends of the edge members of the pillar-truss, the bolt z', securingthe block to the members, the clamp-pl`ate 7`, fitted against the outerside of the track members, and the bolts and nuts K 77;, arranged toVbind the clamp-plate and bearing-block firmly upon the track members.

GEORGE A. STEPHENSON. Witnesses:

JAMES R. TowNsEND, ALFRED I. ToWNsEND.

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